Audio 3:37
US suspends non lethal aid to Syrian opposition

Jane CowanUpdated
Thu 12 Dec 2013, 9:59 AM AEDT

The US and Britain have suspended the delivery of non-lethal aid to the Syrian opposition in northern Syria. The decision comes after some of the supplies fell into the hands of extremists Islamic fighters.

Transcript

TONY EASTLEY: The US and Britain have suspended the delivery of non lethal aid to the Syrian opposition in northern Syria.

The decision comes after some of the supplies fell into the hands of extremists Islamic fighters.

North America correspondent Jane Cowan reports.

JANE COWAN: US officials say Syrian rebel forces came under attack last week from fighters aligned with Al Qaeda.

An alliance of rebels known as the Islamic Front seized Western-backed weapons warehouses belonging to the moderate opposition led by General Idris, the head of the Free Syrian Army. One report suggests the Islamic Front might have taken control of dozens of anti-aircraft weapons and anti-tank rockets.

That's caused both the UK and the United States to cut off non-lethal aid like radios and food rations while they evaluate what's happened.

The State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki:

JEN PSAKI: It's too early to say at this point what this means and what, and how it will be resolved and what the best steps are to resolve it. That's obviously what we're endeavouring to determine with our contacts on the ground.

Of course we're working closely with General Idris and the SMC (Supreme Military Council) staff. At this point to inventory the status of US equipment as applies provided to the SMC.

JANE COWAN: The Free Syrian Army fighting president Bashar al-Assad is playing down the infighting amongst rebels and says the suspension of aid is rushed and mistaken.

But the episode does undermine the rebel's assurances to the US that no supplies sent to their fighters would go astray.

It highlights the difficulty of the Obama administration's efforts to strengthen moderate elements amongst the Syrian rebels in the face of the growing strength of Al Qaeda-affiliated forces and a fracturing of the rebel groups.

Ash Jain formerly advised the State Department on Syria and the Middle East.

ASH JAIN: It's worrisome. I mean it suggests that the moderate opposition, so groups like the Free Syrian Army led by General Idris, that the West has been supporting, they're facing increasingly dim prospects. Assad's forces are gaining momentum on the one hand while Al Qaeda is increasing its presence in Syria on the other and the moderate opposition is being squeezed from both sides.

JANE COWAN: How likely is it, do you think, that this could mark the beginning of America washing its hands of the Syrian problem?

ASH JAIN: Well, I actually think it should to the contrary serve as a wake-up call for the United States because this latest action exposes the perils of US inaction. You know, the prospects of the moderate opposition gaining ground is, you know, is in jeopardy and the longer we wait the more difficult and complicated the crisis in Syria becomes.

JANE COWAN: How much of a worry is this group of rebel fighters that have taken control of the equipment?

ASH JAIN: Well, I think these groups represent, you know, the most extremist elements that have been fighting in this part of the region, engaged in some very dangerous operations killing civilians and you know, trying to push forward a very extremist Islamist agenda, the kinds of activities we saw in Iraq after the American invasion.

JANE COWAN: US officials emphasised the suspension of non-lethal aid reflects no change in America's support for the moderate Syrian opposition and say humanitarian aid to the Syrian people isn't affected.